Society of Fellows News Spring 2009 3
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Society of Fellows newsspring 2009 Contents 2 From the Editor Exhibition of Architectural Drawings 3 AAR Bookfair 4 Interview with Mona Talbott 5 Words for David Childs 6 Interview with Carmela Vircillo Franklin 7 Interview with Yotam Haber 8 Jackie Saccoccio, David Humphrey 9 John Newman 10 Researching Rossini in Rome Interview with Paul Moravec 11 Letter from the SOF President 12 Campaign News —A Gift and a Challenge 13 Sketches from Rajasthan 14 Rome Fellows 2008–2009 15 Board of Trustees and SOF Council 2 Society of Fellows news spring 2009 3 From the Editor Exhibition of Architectural Drawings by Fellows, AAR Bookfair 1910–1935, at the American Academy in Rome James L. Bodnar, faar'80 1910–1935 Fikret K. Yegul, raar’98, Professor, History of Architecture/Classical Archaeology, Christiana Killian and University of California, Santa Barbara, and John Pinto, faar’75, raar’06, The Howard Daniel Curtis Crosby Butler Professor of Architectural History, Princeton University The term Akademeia¯ originally referred to a he first exhibition of works by the Acad- their way to museums and public collections. The archaeological studies and drawings, which over the years, opposing the sensibilities and n 8 November 2007 the American Academy district outside the walls of ancient Athens, a Temy’s fellows in architecture took place at the Originals are generally very large (typically often required the help and collaboration of a the exciting new developments of its own time. Oin Rome held its first official Bookfair—or at “grove of olive trees, sacred to Athena and home American Fine Arts Galleries in New York in 4–6 feet long), and most are extremely high in fellow from the School of Classical Studies (the For young architects responding to the creative least the first one anyone can remember—to to a religious cult since the Bronze Age. It was 1896, only two years after the founding of the quality and unique in nature. Quite apart from two American institutions in Rome had merged artistic currents of the twentieth century, the celebrate the dedication of the Arthur and Janet a place of religious mysteries, and such was the Academy itself as the “American School of their historical and educational significance, in 1912), were considered fundamental for emergence of modern architecture among them, C. Ross Library. Fellows, residents, and trustees respect for the Groves of Academe in the early Architecture in Rome.” At that time fellowships they are visually and artistically engaging and understanding the essence of classicism. Occa- the restrictions imposed by the Academy, how- were asked to donate recent work for the history of Greece that the Spartans would not had not yet been regularized but depended on exciting. They represent a continuum and pro- sional attempts to study fine baroque examples ever well intended, became an anathema. Many library’s benefit. The response was astounding: ravage it when they invaded Attica, according the ability of one of the Academy’s founders or cess—unbroken over nearly four decades—of such as Borromini’s churches—buildings that of the young architects found their emerging almost 100 artists and scholars contributed an to Plutarch’s Life of Theseus (xxxii). It was in a member of its small group of friends (usu- American thinking about architecture. give most of us goose bumps of excitement beliefs in “originality” in art and architecture amazing number and variety of texts. There this sacred grove of olive trees that Plato began ally Charles F. McKim or Daniel Burnham) to now—were strongly discouraged because the pitted against the common misrepresentation were books on architecture, gardens, works One hundred and thirteen years after the first to converse with his followers and pupils, and it offer a cash grant. The Academy also provided Academy's architectural leadership considered of the core beliefs of the Academy’s founders, of art, war, classical drama, photographs, Academy exhibition in New York, and 70 years was thus that the Athenians took the place name shelter, workspace, and guidance to young baroque or mannerist art to be in bad taste. admiration for the perfected model, as expressed mountains, museums, hills, and nudes; there after the last (that I know of), John Pinto, Akademeia¯ and applied it to a group of thinkers American architects who had found funding by Senator McMillan: “In architecture, the work were sketchbooks, books of fairy tales, books faar’75, raar’06, and Fikret Yegul, raar’98 The Collaborative Project, perceived as “cre- working together, and even sharing a philo- from outside sources. The first exhibition is of the individual is confined mainly to adapting of poetry, children’s books, and guide books; have selected 50 photographs, representing ative,” was an annual four-week competition sophical outlook.” reported to have been successful. In the words to the conditions of his particular problem investigations of Mussolini, Napoleon, and the works of some 20 fellows between ca. 1910 among teams composed of an architect, a of Senator James McMillan (a staunch sup- forms that have already been perfected. His Pinocchio; studies of Naples, Venice, Malta, Carmela Vircillo Franklin, and 1935; these are to be shown in the Confer- landscape architect, a sculptor, and a painter, porter who helped the Academy incorporate as originality is displayed in the selection of a suit- Caracas, the alleys of Galveston, the streets of faar ’85, raar’02 ence Room of the Academy's historic New invoking the Renaissance ideal of the collabora- Arthur and Janet C. Ross Rome Prize a national institution by an act of Congress on 3 able style of architecture and in the adjustment Los Angeles, and, of course, many books about York office (also a McKim building).2 About tion of “the Arts.” This notion of the alliance of Ceremony, 16 April 2009 March 1905), it “attracted public attention to the of its forms to the uses to which the particular Rome. But the Bookfair wasn’t limited to books. two-thirds of these drawings are historical or the arts, with its conceptualization of architec- high quality of the work done by the students of building is to be put.”3 While archaeological There were catalogues of exhibitions, CDs of fel- Carmela Franklin’s observation that “Academy” archaeological, and one-third are examples from ture in a larger artistic context, is as engaging the Academy, and proved beyond question the documentation was tolerated, even enjoyed, the lows’ compositions, and DVDs of operas, films, originally referred to a singular and distinc- the Collaborative Project. The photographs and valid now as it was then. But by restricting desirability of supporting such a school.”1 We Collaborative Project became extremely contro- and fellows’ choreography. tive place rings true to anyone who has been were enlarged from the glass-plate negatives this alliance solely along the lines of classical and do not know what was on exhibit, but we can versial and caused considerable friction between to the American Academy in Rome, especially and mounted on aluminum plates. The origin Renaissance examples, the Academy found itself, Many of the authors graciously sent signed imagine that there were fine drawings by John the fellows and their supervisors, as well as in recent years. We see today the fruits of copies or came to the Bookfair to personalize unhappiness among the trustees. It was discon- the efforts by many to restore and make new them. Fellows and residents arrived from all tinued after the Second World War, when the the buildings and grounds of the entire AAR over the Americas; one scholar traveled all the Academy began to be a place where a fellow was campus. From the Villa Aurelia and the McKim way from Poland. One of the best unintended free to choose her or his inspiration from any Building to the Bass Garden and the Arthur consequences of the fair was the opportunity for period in history or none at all. Louis Kahn, a and Janet C. Ross Library, and even in the main fellows and residents to meet each other. Some visiting fellow in 1951, Robert Venturi, and many AAR kitchen, much has been achieved through reconnected with old friends they had not seen of the other creative names in architecture made the dedicated leadership of the trustees and staff since Rome; others met authors whom they had their peace with history through the Academy of the AAR. long known only through their work. and Rome. That is the Academy we inherited. This issue of the SOF News highlights other cur- Because all the books had been donated, and This modest photographic exhibition, historical rent successes, as well. We announce the first because of tremendous support from the and documentary in nature, is a homage to the release of a boxed set of recordings by fellows in Friends of the Library, many of whom con- fellows who produced these drawings, some- music and present the reflections of two fellows tributed more than the minimum suggested times with a lot of complaining and grumbling on what they achieved during their year at the donation, the event raised more than $10,000. but also, not infrequently, with open enthu- AAR. We will hear again from Carmela about There have already been more than a few siasm and excitement. It aims to illustrate a slice changes in community and family life, from requests to hold another Bookfair. Given the of the Academy's rich past and remind us—as Mona Talbott on the most recent developments success of the first one, it is likely to become a John Pinto and I believe—that a beautiful in the Rome Sustainable Food Program, and regular event.